Mungo Jerry

Mungo Jerry are one of rock's great one-hit successes. Outside of England, they're known for exactly one song, but that song, "In the Summertime," is a seasonal anthem known by listeners who weren't even born when it was released. Mungo Jerry was a solid blues outfit as well — in fact, one suspects they were the kind of blues band that purists Alexis Korner and Cyril Davies would have loved, had they ever intersected — and knew how to get the most out of their jug band sound, which helped them survive for decades.

Mungo Jerry were formed in 1970 by singer/guitarist Ray Dorset (born March 21, 1946), who had a fascination with early rock & roll sounds, as well as skiffle and blues. The other original members were Mike Cole on upright bass; Paul King on guitar, kazoo, and jug; Joe Rush playing washboard; and Colin Earl at the keyboards. Dorset and Earl had first hooked up in the Good Earth, a group with a mixed rock & roll and blues sound that cut some tracks for the mid-priced Saga label, none of which sold. Cole, King, and Rush came aboard and the lineup was complete. The name Mungo Jerry — from a T.S. Eliot poem — came next, with a contract from Pye Records.

Mungo Jerry are an English folk/classic rock group whose greatest success was in the early 1970s, though they have continued throughout the years with an ever-changing line-up, always fronted by Ray Dorset.
They are remembered above all for their hit "In the Summertime". It remains the most successful and most instantly recognisable summer song.
Their name is inspired by the poem Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer, from T. S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats.According to Joseph Murrell's The Book of Golden Discs (1978), 'Mungomania' was possibly the most startling and unpredicted pop phenomenon to hit Britain since The Beatles.

50s, 60s Hits

In The Summertime

Album:

Electronically Tested
(1970)

Song Details:

xx

Lyrics:

In the summer time when the weather is high
You can chase right up and touch the sky,
When the weather's fine
You got women, you got women on your mind.
Have a drink, have a drive
Go out and see what you can find.

If her Daddy's rich, take her out for a meal,
If her Daddy's poor, just do what you feel.
Scoot along the lake, do a town an' then return her twenty five.
When the sun goes down
You can make it, make it good and really fine.

With a fat beat, when her Daddy with a me,
We'll have everybody, but we do as we please.
When the weather's fine, we go fishing or go swimming in the sea,
We're always happy,
Long's we're living in this sound philosophy.

When the wind is here, yeah it's party time,
Bring your bottle waggin' back, 'cuz it will soon be summer time.
And we'll signal a cab, we'll go driving or maybe we'll settle down,
If she's rich, if she's nice, bring your friends and we'll all go into town.

In the summer time when the weather is high
You can chase right up and touch the sky,
When the weather's fine
You got women, you got women on your mind.
Have a drink, have a drive
Go out and see what you can find.

If her Daddy's rich, take her out for a meal,
If her Daddy's poor, just do what you feel.
Scoot along the lake, do a town an' then return her twenty five.
When the sun goes down
You can make it, make it good and really fine.

With a fat beat, when her Daddy with a me,
We'll have everybody, but we do as we please.
When the weather's fine, we go fishing or go swimming in the sea,
We're always happy,
Long's we're living in this sound philosophy.